Some time back made an action that I posted on Pro Photo Show called Visual Razor. In using it today I felt it could be better, so I do what I often do when something can be better. I made the brand new one. It’s Visual Razor II, and you can get FREE.
It’s a basic action to sharpening and enhance an image, and adding a bit of POP. The layers are masks so they can easily be adjusted, but it looks good out of the box so it works good in batches.
It may not be wild and different like some of my Hollywood Effects actions, but it’s a good everyday tool, and hey, It’s Free! Should work on CS2 and CS3. If you have an older version of PS try Visual Razor Original.
By Gavin Seim. Updated 06/09: How do they always get super clear vivid images? Most of us have looked at images and thought this. I’ve been there too and thought I would tell you a bit about the secrets behind it. Also check out the companion PPS podcast on getting clear images.
No matter what camera you shoot with, the question comes out the same. What do photographers do to get tack sharp, vivid, beautiful images? There’s not one magic formula. It’s more of a lifestyle, and how intense and vivid you want to make your images will vary. Either way you should understand the principles, so here’s some good tips to get you rolling. At the end you can post your own tips, and you’ll even find a link to a free Photoshop action that will help you out.
#5. Depth of field Thoughts:
This can be easily overlooked, and is crucial. Let’s say you have a lens that goes down to 1.4 or 2.8, or perhaps a long zoom. Depth of field (similar to focus) can be very shallow. You can certainly get great shots, even without a pod and on the go. It just takes some practice. Don’t get discouraged when some eyes are blurry. If you focus on a person 6 feet away who is slowly moving towards you, those eyes might be soft in the time it takes you to press the shutter.
One solution is to raise that aperture setting higher (smaller opening and more depth of field) 5.6, 8.0, etc. That will help give you more focus depth, but will also require a slower shutter speed and sometimes that shallow effect is beautiful. So to help you nail it, take lots of shots and then pick the best ones. When you can, use a tripod help keep that camera still, and remember the focus will be shallow at lower (larger opening and less depth of field) aperture settings. Also try setting the focus point right on their eye (or other desired focus spot) and nowhere else, to get your focus dead on. Practice makes perfect.
We here at PPS would like to give a big shout out to all our listeners and readers all over the world. You’ve all been so great since we started about a year and a half ago, and this continually growing community means a lot. If enjoy PPS you can always let us know if the comments, or shor your appreciation by linking to us, voting on podcast alley, or rating us on itunes.
You are appreciated, and we just wanted to say thanks. To do this I thought PPS should give you a small gift, so Gavin made a special Photoshop Action just for the occasion called Christmas Glow. It’s a nice effect that will make that Christmas tree photo look great, along with anything else that you want a nice smooth effect on. It’s great for portraits, even for a landscape effect, or just about anything else.
It’s not a big gift, but I know most of our PPS’ers have Photoshop, and it’s something we could give to you all. It should work on CS2, and CS3. For earlier versions just try it and see, it’s free after all!
Next… We have a special discount for those of you who want more Photoshop Actions, or Lightroom Presets You can get 20% off anything over at Seim Effects by using promo code pps2007 at checkout. It’s the biggest discount we’ve offered over there, and it’s an exclusive for PPS readers. You can save you quite a bit off the normal price. It’ll be good thru Dec 31st, so if you’ve been on the fence about getting some great effects now is the time.
Here’s to another great year of photography, ideas, collaberation and fun… Gav and the whole PPS team
Update… I updated the action to V1.1. I added a comp layer into it that will help keep things balanced when adjusting the glow effect, and made some other minor changes to make it a tad better for you. Feel free to download the updated version.. Gav
MONTEREY, Calif.–Adobe Systems has committed to shipping a beta version of its online image-editing tool, Photoshop Express, this year, and said it will be complete in 2008.
“By late this year, we anticipate having a beta version,” said John Loiacono, senior vice president for Adobe Creative Solutions, speaking at the 6sight digital imaging conference here. And next year, the online service will be “available to anyone,” he said.
Loiacono showed Photoshop Express running on an Adobe server connected over the Internet, he said. But when the average person experiences the software, it likely will be through partners such as Shutterfly or Photobucket, he said.
Unsurprisingly, Loiacono left unmentioned Flickr, which said in October it will use Picnik’s online photo-editing tools.
Photoshop Express is a profoundly important project, and Adobe’s schedule indicates that its repercussions are near-term and not academic.
For Adobe, the project is the spearhead of a transformation from a seller of boxed software to a provider of services in an increasingly rich Internet experience. And for the industry overall, it signals that Internet technology is maturing enough that companies are willing risk extending the brand of respected PC software to the network.
Photoshop Express, as its name suggests, isn’t a full-fledged version of Photoshop proper or even of its hobbyist-oriented sibling, Photoshop Elements. The intent is to reach a much larger audience than the company currently reaches with its higher-end boxed software products.
Well as promised on PPS #38 audiocast here’s a free action from my Hollywood Effects set. Fantasy Lights II is one a three in the set all of which come with Hollywood effects.
It will give a nice glowing feel to the shot, while also giving is a subdued fantasy like color. If you like it and want more, feel free to check out the whole set. Otherwise just enjoy, and remember to play with the layers to adjust the effect in various ways. To load it up just download the file and double click it to open in up in the actions pallets. Select the action with a photo open and just click play. Have fun, Gav
Some time back made an action that I posted on Pro Photo Show called Visual Razor. In using it today I felt it could be better, so I do what I often do when something can be better. I made the brand new one. It’s Visual Razor II, and you can get FREE.
